Comparison of regional blood distribution in Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat) during torpor (summer), hibernation (winter), and arousal

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josefine C. Rauch ◽  
David D. Beatty
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Regional Distribution ◽  
Work Load ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Seasonal Differences ◽  
Heart Rates ◽  
Metabolic Heat ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
And Shifts

Regional distribution of blood was determined using 86Rb in torpid (summer), hibernating (winter), and arousing big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus. Heart rates, estimated from electrocardiograms, served as an index of arousal.Measured differences in circulation include higher fractions of the cardiac output being delivered to the myocardium and kidneys of bats in torpor during the summer as compared with those in hibernation during the winter. This suggests a relatively greater work load of the heart and a higher rate of kidney function in bats at low temperatures in summer.Arousal from hibernation in winter (ambient temperature (Ta) = 5 C) requires less time than does arousal from torpor (Ta = 5 C) in summer. Heart rates increase more rapidly and shifts in regional circulation occur at a faster rate during arousal from hibernation. This is related to seasonal differences in amounts of brown fat, the major source of metabolic heat for initiation of rewarming in these bats.

Flexibility in foraging and roosting behaviour by the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Mark Brigham
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Foraging Area ◽  
South Central ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
Pine Trees

I used radiotelemetry to study the roosting and foraging behaviour of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in south central British Columbia. Maternity colonies were found in hollows of dead ponderosa pine trees (Pinus ponderosa) and colony members were not loyal to specific trees. Individuals consistently foraged above a 300-m stretch of the Okanagan River, travelling 1.8 km on average from day roosts to the foraging area. There were significant differences in the duration of foraging bouts among different sex and age-classes. The results are compared with data collected in a similar manner for a population in Ontario, where, in contrast to British Columbia, E. fuscus were highly loyal to man-made roost structures and on average travelled less than 1 km to foraging sites that varied nightly. I suggest that the marked difference in both roosting and foraging behaviour is due to differences in the availability and structure of roosts and in the distribution of insect prey.

scholarly journals Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Predation on Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in Pennsylvania

2012 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 38
Author(s):  
Suzanne M. Khalafalla ◽  
Carlos A. Iudica
Keyword(s):  
Barn Owl ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Documented Case ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Big Brown Bat

Diet of the Barn Owl, Tyto alba, was determined through examination of pellets collected from a roost site in Port Trevorton, Snyder County, Pennsylvania (40°42'26"N, 76°51'58"W). Remains of a Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus, were positively identified in one of the 80 pellets from our site. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a Barn Owl preying on a bat in Pennsylvania.

Sexual differences in the annual lipid cycle of the big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 1891-1894 ◽  
Author(s):  
David H. Pistole
Keyword(s):  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Fat Deposition ◽  
Caloric Content ◽  
Basic Pattern ◽  
Mating Season ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Males And Females

The annual lipid cycle in male and female big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, was studied in relation to the reproductive patterns for each sex. The basic pattern of lipid deposition and use was similar in males and females; however, there were differences between the sexes in the timing of these activities. Females began rapid fat deposition 1 month earlier than males. The beginning of rapid fat deposition in females is associated with the end of lactation and in males with the end of spermatogenesis and the peak mating season. Rates of fat use were similar between the sexes for the entire hibernation period, but the rate in females was more consistent than the rate in males. The caloric content of male bats did not differ throughout the year, but females had higher values during pregnancy and lactation than at other times of the year. Differences between the sexes in the timing of specific events within the annual lipid cycle appear to be adaptations for optimizing reproductive success.

Behavioural repeatability in the Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus

Behaviour ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 157 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 699-717
Author(s):  
Amanda Boyer ◽  
Hanna Karevold ◽  
Derek T. Kreuger ◽  
Ned A. Dochtermann ◽  
Erin H. Gillam
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Captive Population ◽  
Behavioural Syndromes ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
Range Of Variation ◽  
High Repeatability

Abstract Work on animal personality, characterized by high behavioural repeatability, shows that animals exhibit limits to plasticity, with an individual’s range of variation only covering a portion of the range observed across the entire population. This work is particularly important for understanding the underlying genetic basis of behaviours. While research on behavioural repeatability has spanned many taxa, little work has focused on bats. Our objective was to determine if big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) exhibit moderate to high repeatability of different behavioural traits and if behavioural syndromes (among-individual correlations between behaviours) are present. Using a captive population, repeatability was assessed for aggression, exploration, and activity. Moderate repeatabilities were observed for all behaviours, indicating that individuals exhibit consistent behaviour over time. There were no significant correlations among behaviours. Future research aimed at assessing how changes in social structure impact behavioural repeatability will be valuable for understanding behavioural plasticity in social bat species.

scholarly journals Evaluating odour and urinary sex preferences in the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas J.S. Greville ◽  
Audrey G. Tam ◽  
Paul Faure
Keyword(s):  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
The Body ◽  
Olfactory Cues ◽  
Sex Preferences ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Y Maze ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
Body Odour ◽  
Experimental Trials

Olfactory cues provide detailed information to mammals regarding conspecifics. Bats may identify species, colony membership, and individual’s using olfaction. Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1976)) live in mixed-sex colonies and must differentiate between sexes to locate mates. We hypothesized that odour cues convey information about sex. In Experiment 1, adult E. fuscus were recorded exploring a Y-maze that contained general body odours sampled from male or female conspecifics. One group of subjects was habituated to the Y-maze prior to experimental trials, whereas a second group was not. Bat exploration and the proportion of time spent near each scent were used as preference indicators for the body odour of a particular sex. Experiment 2 followed similar procedures except the odour cue tested was urine from either male or female conspecifics and without Y-maze habituation. Results found no evidence that E. fuscus prefer the body odours of a given sex, but females did prefer the odour of male urine. Non-habituated animals in Experiment 1 were more likely to explore the Y-maze and approach a stimulus scent compared to habituated bats. These findings have important implications for courtship and mating behaviour in bats, as well for designing future behavioural studies.

The significance of winter activity by the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus): the influence of energy reserves

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 1240-1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Mark Brigham
Keyword(s):  
Dry Mass ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Winter Activity ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Big Brown Bat ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Forearm Length

I tested the hypothesis that big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) found active during winter months may be forced into activity because of reduced energy reserves. I compared the masses and fat reserves of big brown bats found active with inactive (torpid) bats at a hibernaculum, throughout the winter. Active bats were significantly lighter that those in the hibernaculum during the same period. Active bats had significantly lower fat reserves and lean dry mass than inactive individuals. The majority of bats found active were lighter than the predicted mass of bats leaving hibernation in April. The forearm length of active individuals was significantly shorter than inactive bats. Inactive individuals lost mass throughout the winter while there was no significant correlation between the mass of active bats and the date of capture. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that bats may become active at a critically low energy reserve, possibly to find food.

The influence of roost closure on the roosting and foraging behaviour of Eptesicus fuscus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1128-1133 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Mark Brigham ◽  
M. Brock Fenton
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Direct Observation ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Maximum Distance ◽  
Radio Tracking ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Big Brown Bats ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Foraging Flight

We used radio tracking and direct observation to determine the effect of roost closure on the roosting and foraging behaviour of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in maternity colonies near Ottawa. Individuals were site loyal, but after eviction they moved short distances to new roosts where they tended to produce fewer offspring. The time spent on the first foraging flight, the maximum distance travelled, and the use of feeding areas did not change with exclusion. The results suggest that bats roost to take advantage of site-specific factors that may increase reproductive success.

scholarly journals Sampling Blood from Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in the Field with and without Anesthesia: Impacts on Survival

2006 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 849-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura E. Ellison ◽  
Thomas J. O'Shea ◽  
Jeffrey Wimsatt ◽  
Roger D. Pearce ◽  
Daniel J. Neubaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eptesicus Fuscus ◽  
Big Brown Bats
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